Improvement in floating breakwaters



2 Sheets--Shee l. .A. DEAN.

Floating Breakwaters.

NO.|5|, 858. PatentedJune9,1874.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARGUS DEAN, OF OTTO, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLOATING BREAKWATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,858, dated June 9, 1874; application filed March 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ARGUS DEAN, of Otto, Clarke county, Indiana, have invented a new and useful Arrangement of Dykes and Breakwaters, for deepening and maintainingA riverchannels, of which the followin gis a specification:

My instrumentalities for these purposes consist primarily in long frame-works, which are adapted to float and to be moved or anchored in positions where they will be effective to divert and deflect more or less of the impinging water, so as to concentrate the same and create a washing current whenever it is desired to deepen the river-bed.

Figure 1 represents a form of frame for a iloating dyke or breakwater such as is employed by me. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan representingmy arrangement of instrumentalities for creating and maintaining a navigable pass or channel at a river-mouth.

My breakwater consists of two scows or' barges, D D', connected immovably parallel to one another by means of transoms E, and from the lower sides of which extend triangular projections, which may be rigidly fastened t0 the transoms, as at F, or may depend freely therefrom. One of these scows, being loaded with sand or other heavy material, may be Caused to sink sutlciently to cant the pendent frame F toward the current, as in Fig. 2. Longitudinal openings G and H,'in the upper and lower portions of my crib and lioat, respectively, are designed to receive sheet piles I, which are driven tightly down so as to close more or less completely the passage of water laterally through these structures. In Fig. 3 the dotted line Y represents the breast of shoal or sunken bluff or bar, and Z represents deep water. J represents sunken dykes, which border and confine the'inain channel. K, L,

and M represent, respectively, silnilar dykes, which confine the passes N O I. Q are floating gates or breakwaters, by means lof which one or more of the passes may be closed. This closure may be made more or less complete, whether as to the sides or entrances of the channels by the closeness of the sheet piles on the one hand, or the width of their interstices on the other hand. R represents piling, to sustain the sunken dykes at the junctions of the passes and the stress of the closed gates Q. S are ioating dykes or breakwaters moored to the lower ends of the sunken dykes, and

'sustained at their lower ends by piles T or other means.

The floating dykes will, in most cases, be only required at deep places, as at S, or to close the inlets of side passes, as at Q, or where the channels of rivers are obstructed by sand-bars the impediments may be speedily removed witbout the use of slinken dykes by the temporary application of such float-ing dykes, which, having accomplished their purpose, maybe shifted to another locality where.

Ansus DEAN.

Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, J AMEs H. LAYMAN. 

